When 30-year-old Suchitra Dey interviewed for teaching positions at schools, she hoped her double MA (in Geography and English) and BEd degrees would be enough for her employers. But, instead of asking about her qualifications, she was asked if her breasts are real or if she can give birth. After undergoing sex-reassignment surgery (SRS) in 2017, Hiranmay Dey changed her name to Suchitra Dey. “My educational qualification or 10 years of experience didn’t matter to them. When they looked at me, all they could see was a man who had transformed into a woman. Nothing else mattered because if one belongs to the third gender in this country, ridicule is a way of life,” says Suchitra.

When 30-year-old Suchitra Dey interviewed for teaching positions at schools, she hoped her double MA (in Geography and English) and BEd degrees would be enough for her employers. But, instead of asking about her qualifications, she was asked if her breasts are real or if she can give birth. After undergoing sex-reassignment surgery (SRS) in 2017, Hiranmay Dey changed her name to Suchitra Dey. “My educational qualification or 10 years of experience didn’t matter to them. When they looked at me, all they could see was a man who had transformed into a woman. Nothing else mattered because if one belongs to the third gender in this country, ridicule is a way of life,” says Suchitra.